Victorian Police have abandoned a plan to target crime across inner street Melbourne after a public uproar over plans by the Federal Government’s Border Force to ask people to prove they are working legally in the country.

Protesters closed the intersection of Flinders and Swanston streets in Melbourne as they gathered over press conference that was to be held to outline Operation Fortitude.

Victorian Police Minister Wade Noonan said Operation Fortitude was intended to be a standard police operation.

“We fully support the decision by Victoria Police to cancel the operation after the unfortunate and inappropriate characterisation by the Australian Border Force today,” he said.

The head of Australian Border Force said the agency’s statement on the operation was “clumsily” written and had been misconstrued.

Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg said the press release did not properly portray the agreed role between Victoria Police and the force.

The operation was to be a multi-agency assault on crime.

In the statement, Border Force said there would be a focus on people travelling to, from and around the CBD. It would target “everything from anti-social behaviour to outstanding warrants”.

The regional commander Victoria and Tasmania for the ABF, Don Smith, said he was proud Border Force was taking part in the operation.

“While the ABF regularly conducts a range of compliance field-work, this is the first time we’ve been involved in an inter-agency operation of this nature and we’re very proud be able to support each of our organisations to achieve our common mission of promoting a secure and cohesive society here in Melbourne,” he said in a statement.

“ABF officers will be positioned at various locations around the CBD speaking with any individual we cross paths with.

“You need to be aware of the conditions of your visa; if you commit visa fraud you should know it’s only a matter of time before you’re caught out.”

But a public outcry on social media resulted in the agency denying its own words less than four hours later.

In a separate statement it said it would not be “stopping people at random” in Melbourne to “check people’s papers” as reported in media.

“The ABF does not and will not stop people at random in the streets and does not target on the basis of race, religion, or ethnicity,” the statement said.

A press conference that was planned to announce the operation was dropped as protest numbers grew.

And then Victoria Police said the operation would not go ahead at all.

“We understand there has been a high level of community interest and concern which has been taken into consideration when making this decision,” it said.

“Either the Border Force are doing racial profiling, in which case they should stop it, or they are hassling everyone, and they should stop that as well. We do not need any more uniformed goons,” he said.

This indicates that the Border Force should be radically downsized and its workers allowed to do something useful for a living.”

Earlier this year, he was suspected of feigning chest pains as a ruse to avoid being grilled under oath over claims of a major alleged fraud.

According to The Australian newspaper, Mr Sharma was named in court documents as having wrongfully received funds from Chinese company Citic — Mineralogy’s estranged business partner — as part of an alleged fraud.

Mr Sharma was suspected of feigning sudden illness, including chest pains, as a ruse to avoid being grilled further under oath about the claims of fraud.

As you are our Western Australian(WA) representative in the Federal Parliament, we ask you to find out from the WA Legal Practice Board as to what crime our member Mr. Nicholas Chin had committed prior to his deregistration.

Mr. Lloyd Rayney was acquitted on three occasions: does the regulator of Lawyers, the Legal Practice Board of WA wants to overrule the Supreme Court of Western Australia’s decision?

Both of them have been deregistered because they are Asian-Australians?

It is alleged there are other lawyers of Anglo-Saxon origin who have committed crimes but are not being sanctioned albeit being favoured by the regulator?

THE by-election in the West Australian federal seat of Canning will be held on September 19.

Speaker Tony Smith issued the writ for the by-election in the Government Gazette on Monday.

Nominations will close on August 27 and voter rolls will close on August 24.

On Saturday, the Liberal pre-selection committee recommended Afghanistan war veteran Andrew Hastie, but the decision rests with the state council, which will make its decision later this week ahead of the party’s state conference.

The Labor party opened its nominations on Thursday, with the favourite expected to be Law Society of WA president and senior associate Matthew Keogh, who was once a policy adviser in the Gallop government.

Labor’s nominations will close on August 23.

Palmer United Party announced on Monday it would also contest the by-election, with leader leader Clive Palmer saying it was an opportunity to rebuke Liberal and Labor politicians for entitlements rip-offs.

PUP will announce its candidate on Friday.

The Greens also plan to stand a candidate.

Originally published as Canning by-election for September 19

Dear Senator Zhenya Wang,

As you are our Western Australian(WA) representative in the Federal Parliament, we ask you to find out from the WA Legal Practice Board as to what crime our member Mr. Nicholas Chin had committed prior to his deregistration.

Mr. Lloyd Rayney was acquitted on three occasions: does the regulator of Lawyers, the Legal Practice Board of WA wants to overrule the Supreme Court of Western Australia’s decision?

Both of them have been deregistered because they are Asian-Australians?

It is alleged there are other lawyers of Anglo-Saxon origin who have committed crimes but are not being sanctioned albeit being favoured by the regulator?

The race to 2016 is well underway, Eddie. And now that we’ve heard from these candidates, we know it’s more important than ever that we work to elect Democrats up and down the ticket next year so that we don’t see all the progress we’ve made together come undone.

We simply can’t afford policies that take our country backwards, and those are exactly the kinds of policies Republicans are serving up on a silver platter.

We’ve heard outrageous things on issues like immigration, women’s health, making health care affordable for every American, raising the minimum wage, and so much more. Democrats have made great strides together over the past six and a half years, Eddie, and we’ve got to do everything we can to protect that progress.

So if you’re with me, and more committed than ever to making sure we elect Democrats next fall, then add your name and say you’re ready to fight for progress and the middle class:

Thanks for this, Eddie. Everything we’ve done, all the progress we’ve made — none of it would have been possible without help from folks like you.

Barack Obama

Paid for by the Democratic National Committee, 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington DC 20003 and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

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